Sunday, December 24, 2006

Lamb with Garlic in the Oven

(Firinda Sarimsakli Kuzu Budu)

Pierce the lamb in 10 places and insert the garlic cloves in each slit. Rub the lamb with lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to marinate overnight in the fridge. The following day discard the plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Put parchment paper on the oven tray and place the lamb on it.

Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake the lamb for 35 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 F (190 C) and continue to bake until done to your liking (somewhere around 25 minutes a pound). My total cooking time was ~2 hours. Remove from the oven, and let the lamb sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then slice it up. Place on a serving platter and pour some of the juice on top. Garnish with oregano.

4 Comments:

I have only just discovered this website and have found all of the recipes I have tried are loved by all my family. This lamb is particularly delicious, as is the shepards salad. The apple pie has also become a firm favourite in my house.

Thanks for all the fantastic recipes, I look forward to logging on and checking them out. Now I dont have to wait until I go back to Turkey next year to eat Turkish food!

2. what type of an oven tray do you think would be best to bake this meat loaf? would wrapping it in some aluminum foil do the trick here? should we oil the tray or or brush the tray with s some butter before we place the meat loaf in it?

3. the photo shows some vegetables as well, did you bake them with the meat? :)

sorry if i am asking too many questions. i just wanna follow everything you do to get the best result since you seem to be doing it the very right way everytime. ma sha allah :)

Hi,You can ask me if you need anything, I would like to help:)1) The lamb should be baked uncovered.2) You can use regular oven tray covered with the parchment paper. If you put the lamb directly on the tray, spread some oil on it. Do not wrap the lamb with aluminum foil.3) I served it with some boiled vegetables. Take care,

Dear Binnur,Merhaba!As a turk far away from home, I wish to thank you very much for your great receipts of homeland.Mom used to cook tandir as below:A whole lamb leg cut in 2 or 3 pieces.Never de-bonned.She wouldput sliced onions underneath and a few garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary.Then she would salt the meat and pour some black pepper on both sides.And she would oil-olive- the top of the meat with her lovely hands.Then she would wrapp the traywith aluminum foil and put in preheated oven-200 C degrees-for about 90 minutes.This way meat becomes juicy and delicious and easily comes off the bones.I thinkbones add taste to the meat.Open baked meat becomes dry.For sure tandir of Rumi's city Konya is the best one can taste.All my best, Gokay.